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Sibbett, Lorna
(2024).
Abstract
Annually, approximately 6000 students receive an award of credit transfer at the Open University of the United Kingdom (OUUK). OUUK has an important sectoral role within the UK in providing students with opportunities to top up from another qualification to degree, return to learning after a period away, switch to another institution due to e.g. change in personal circumstances; failure to complete course requirements elsewhere; poor match between student need and institutional provision.
For those students topping up from an earlier qualification, many may do so to improve their competitiveness within their work environment (Dismore et al, 2010) with OUUK providing a route to do this whilst retaining their job. Pegg and Di Paolo (2013) found OUUK credit transfer students’ narratives to construe credit transfer as a means to address ‘unfinished business’.
From November 2023 to September 2024, we conducted a student consultation on credit transfer and mixed methods research, comprising student survey and evidence cafes. Students were employed as partners in the scholarship phase. Our findings provide evidence of how and why students use credit transfer to meet their personal and professional/employability goals. We report student perspectives on their multiple challenges in e.g. switching from face-to-face to distance learning; navigating onto OUUK programmes; and understanding the assessment requirements of their first modules in a new learning environment.
While some students enter prescriptive qualification pathways, approximately 50% opt for the Open Degree, which permits students to build their own undergraduate degree qualification from modules offered across all four faculties. Student narratives suggest a predominant view that their use of credit transfer affords a chance to explore the ‘path-not-yet-taken’ with curiosity, excitement and some trepidation. However, many credit transfer students are either unaware of the institutional support for navigating that path of qualification planning, or they decide not to avail of it. Students advise that clear proactive communication, with signposting to key assets, should be a priority.
Timely submission of first assessment is recognised as a key indicator for student success in programmes. Students share their challenges of learning a new language of assessment, new referencing structures and new mechanisms for submission of their work. Maximising student success thus requires a collaborative approach of induction to institutional language and process plus orientation to assessment requirements at module level. Students ask that preparatory materials and assessment structure be visible to them before module start date to aid their decisions in module selection and better support their mental efforts in adjustment.
Acting on student advice, to maximise gains for our credit transfer students, requires a collaborative approach of professional services in admissions, student support and library plus academic staff who design the curriculum of modules and programmes. Students ask us to celebrate credit transfer and increase awareness among broader publics – it is an adventure that is life affirming and life changing.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
